Glass rolling apparatus



May 2, 1933. A J. H. Fox 1,906,563

GLASS ROLLING APPARATUS Filed May 25', 1952 3 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTCR May 2,l 1933. J. H. Fox 1,906,563

GLASS ROLLING APPARATUS May 2, 1933. 1. H. Fox

I GLASS ROLLING APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' IIINVEN-roryI NNI Patented May` 2,- 1933 GLASS' COMPANY, A 'CORPORATION or' PENNSYLVANIAk ,PA-irr-:NT OFF-ICE* JOHN H. PoX,voF` PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To PITTSBURGH PLAT GLASS ROLLING APPARATUS Application; nica May 25,

The invention relates to glassrolling appakratus of the general type shown in the Gelstharp Patent No. 1,615,834, dated February 7, 1927, wherein a sheet of glass is rolled vertically-from'fa molten bath by a pair of sizing rolls -which engage the surface of the glass, suchglass sheet after formation being directed horizontally throughan annealing leer.l The invention has for its principal v'ob- `l` jects-the provision of improved Vmeans for supporting and driving the sizing rolls in a construction of the character specified. yOne embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation partially insection. Fig. 2 isa- Sectional view, the right hand portion of which is takeny on the line II-JI of Fig. 1, and the left hand portion on the line IV-IVof Fig. 1. AndFig. l3 is an ,20 enlarged section similar tothat of ythe right hand portion of Fig.,2. e f f f Referring to thedrawings, 1 is adrawy pot or receptaclecontaining afbathk 2 of molten -glass which is supplied from avsuitable melt-y ing tank, not shown, located' to the right of the draw `pot (Fig. The glass is `rolled from the pot jby a pair of sizing rolls 3, -4 having their lower sidesin engagement with the glass. These rolls arewater cooled' and driven as later described and the glass sheet 5 which is formedpassesjup overa ,series of apron rolls 6, 6, etc. (Fig. l1) and is then car,- ried over other rolls into a roller leer,'such leerconstructionbeing well knownin the art. The rolls each 'compriseya body portion 7 and a pair of spindles 8, 9 at-the endsof the body portions. One of the spindleson each roll is connected with the driving mechanism and the driving mechanisms for thetworolls are at opposite sides ofthe draw pot,.`as indicated in Fig. 2. Each of the roll spindles at the driven end of the roll is provided with al pair of swivels 10, 10 connected to thewater inlets and outlet pipes 11, 12. A pipe`13 extends longitudinally of each roll and serves as the inlet for the water, the reverse Yflow going through the space 14 between the pipe and the interior of the roll.\y n

The rollsand their driving mechanism are 50 supported from above uponaframework 15 1932. Semaine. 613,448.

builtup of'cominercial sections and mounted for verticalnmovement in order to adjust the position of the rolls with respect to the glassv Theframework 15 is Supported framework *15 'is accomplished by means of i the screws 17 provided with worm wheels in the casings 18, these wheels being operated by ,worms on the shafts 19 provided with ysuitable operating cranks 20. f Y

The sizing roll 3 andthe apron rolls 66, ctc. are mounted in lixed position upon the framework 15 byfmeans of depending arms 21 and the roll 4 is mounted for adjustment toward and from the roll 3 by reasonk of its mounting upon a pairy of arms 22 pivoted-'to the arm 21 atv 23. The upper ends ofthese arms are yieldingly `pressedto the right (Fig. 1) by means of springs 24 whose tensionis adjustedy by the screws 25 working in the blocks 26 mounted in fixed position on'top of the framework 15. l The arms 21vand 22 are provided at their lower ends with'k the bearing bushings 27 providedwith passages 28 therethrough, to which are connected the water inlet pipe 29 and the water outlet pipe 29a so that a circulation of water may be maintained through this bearing. This is desirable because of the heatcondition to which the bearing is exposed by reason of its 'proximity to the body of glass in' the draw pot. Each roll is driven -from a-drive sleeve 30`which is journalled in an rextension 31 of the arms 21 and 22. This sleeve is provided f with a worm wheel 32 which is driven from 'a worm (Fig. 1) in the casing 33. This worm is carried by a stub-shaft whose upper end is connected by a universal joint with the driven from the shaft 35 through the intermediary of the bevel gearing, the shaft 37 the bevel gearing 38 the shaft 37 a and bevel gears k38a (Fig. 1). The drive for each roll is the same as will be seen by referenceito Figs. 1 and 2 so that the foregoing descripy vdrive shaft 34. The drive shaft 34 is in turn' i tion ofthedrive for the roll 3 will be la sufin the rolls are exposed from the body of glass,

they have a tendency to warp and since the rolls are supported in bearings 27 which are relatively iixed, and the out-erends of the spindles 8 have a tendency to wobble and rotate out of true. The clearance space 40 permits of this wobbling action without binding and the clutch tooth engagement between the end of the sleeve 30 and the member 39 also permits this action without binding as there is suiicient clearance between the teeth to permit a relative rocking movement. The clutch member 39 has an additional Vfunction in that it is provided with a sprocket wheel 41 arouiidwliich passes the sprocket chain `42 which drives one of the apron rolls 6, as indicated in Fig. l. The other apron rolls are driven by suitable sprocket connections, one of which is the sprocket 43 shown in F ig. l.

The advantages incident to the foregoing construction for supporting and driving the rolls will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is desirable to have the rolls 3 and 4 of relatively small diameter in order to reduce their chilling effect upon the body'of glass in the pot and under these conditions, the rolls have a tendency to sag, particularly in the production of a'wide sheet. This is due to the weight of the rolls and to the pressure between the rolls due to the glass which tends to deflect them and, therefore, produce a sheet of unequal thickness. It is, therefore, desirable to get the supporting beaiings for the rolls as close as possible together. This is permissible with the construction heretofore described because of the use of the water cooled bearings which can be placed relatively close tothe edge of the draw pot without injury to the bearings. The relatively loose driving connection between the roll spindles and the driving mechanism avoids any trouble as to binding which might otherwise occur due to the wobbling of the outer ends of the spindles as heretofore explained.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in vertical glass rolling apparatus including a pot or receptacle for carrying a bath of molten glass, and a pair of hollow horizontal sizing rolls disposed over the bath and each comprising a body portion with a spindle at eachend, means for supporting the rolls comprising arms provided with bearings engaging the spindle adjacent the body portion of the roll, a driving sleeve j ournalled in'one of said arms outward of the bearing carried by said arm with a clearance space between the inner surface of the sleeve and the roll spindle, means for driving the sleeve, a clutch member secured to the spindle between the end of the sleeve and the bearing, and means on the end of the sleeve having driving connection with the clutch member permitting relative rocking motion between the clutch member and sleeve.

2. In combination in vertical glass rolling apparatus including a pot or receptacle for carrying a bath of molten glass, and a pair of hollow horizontal sizing rolls disposed over the bath andl each comprising a body portion with a. spindle at :each end, means for supporting the rolls, comprising arms providedwitli bearings engaging the spindle adjacent the body portion of the roll, a

driving sleeve journalled in one of said arms outward of the bearing carried by said arm with a clearance space between the inner surface of the sleeve and the roll spindle, means for driving the sleeve, a clutch member secured to the spindle between the end of the sleeve and the bearing, means on the end of the sleeve having driving connection with the clutch member permitting relative rocking movement between the clutch member and sleeve, and water connections swivelled to the end of theV spindle outward of said sleeve.

3. In combination in vertical glass rolling apparatus including a pot or receptacle for Vcarrying a bath of molten glass, and a pair 9 roo for supporting the rolls comprising arms provided with water cooled bearings engaging the spindle adjacent the body portion of the roll, a driving sleeve jouriialled in one of said arms outward of the bearing carried by said arm with a clearance space between the inner surface of the sleeve and the roll spindle, means for driving the sleeve, a clutch member secured to the spindle between the end of the sleeve and the bearing, and means iin on the end of the sleeve having driving connectioii with the clutch member permitting relative rocking motion between the clutch member and sleeve.

4;. In combination in vertical glass rolling apparatus including a pot or receptacle for carrying a bath of molten glass, and a pair of hollow horizontal sizing rolls disposed over the bath and each comprising a body portion with a spindle at each end, means for sup porting the rolls comprising arms provided with water cooled bearings engaging the spindle adjacent the body portion of the roll, a driving sleeve journalled in one of said arms outward of the bearing carried by said arm with a clearance space between the inner surface of the sleeve and the 'roll spindle,

means for driving the sleeve, a clutchmember secured to the spindle betweenthe end ofy the sleeve and the bearing, means 0n the-end of the sleeve having drivln connection with the clutch member permitting relative rooking movement between the clutch member and sleeve, and Water connections swivelled to the end of the spindle outward of said sleeve. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day'of May, 1932.v

JOHN H. FOX. i 

